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Max Verstappen has chance to end six-year Mercedes stronghold at Japanese Grand Prix | F1 | Sports


Max Verstappen has chance to end six-year Mercedes stronghold at Japanese Grand Prix |  F1 |  Sports

“We have five races left. We have a big lead but I want to have a good weekend every single time.”

Team principal Christian Horner moaned Verstappen’s ‘big wound’ in qualifying. He said: “Yesterday was the big wound for today. I mean, it was obviously hugely frustrating, but he’s speeded hard, he’s speeded his heart out today, he’s come through the field twice and those points are vital for both him and the constructors. He gave it everything today – unfortunately, it just wasn’t his weekend.

“He was very patient through the race. Then he got an opportunity through the restart, obviously the [tyre] pressures were so low he felt that he bottomed out and picked up a massive flat spot.

“Then had to pit again, came from a massive distance behind, and obviously those last couple of laps – a lot of people were watching the front but the action was going on between Lewis, Sebastian [Vettel] and Max, it was a phenomenal race.”